Brunch might just be my favorite time of the day. The food is the best, especially when enjoyed after an early morning walk (or even better, a late morning wake up call). So naturally, brunch weddings are my favorite. They’ve got that air of relaxation without anything to stress about. Erin Jean Photography captured a brunch wedding on Lake Michigan (which is a whole other story when it comes to why I love it so much) and, oh my goodness, it’s fantastic.
From the stunning bride… Chris and I knew from the start that we wanted an intimate wedding. We’re both very close with our families, so being able to share and enjoy the memorable day with those closest to us was truly special. Just our parents, siblings, closest friends (one of whom married us!) and of course, our dog Dexter.
When selecting the location, Door County, WI was top on our list. Chris’ great grandparents built a beach cottage on Lake Michigan in 1929 and his family has been spending summers out there ever since. It’s a special spot that we visit every year and we both loved the idea of one day being able to show our children where their parents got married!
Since it was a beach wedding, we wanted the dress to be casual. Chris wore a white shirt, khakis and a custom pink dot tie. Phillip, Chris’ closest friend who married us, wore a bowtie in the same pattern and our dog matched with his own pink dot tie as well. And since Door County is known for cherries, I thought it would be fun to wear shoes with cherry detail, and was thrilled when I found the Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon Cherry Heels. They were part of a limited edition collection so was fortunate to find a pair in my size from a woman in London who was selling them on eBay!
Ceremony – the morning ceremony took place on the back terrace of the cottage, providing guests with stunning views of the Lake. For décor, my goal was to incorporate simple accents that showcased us as a couple while allowing the natural beauty of our surroundings to shine. Distressed white stakes with a mix of sheer and satin ribbons created the aisle, French buckets filled with flowers formed the altar and guests sat on benches lined with burlap/lace runners. At each seat, we placed a bubble jar with an antique key (to be used as a bubble wand) and a personal note attached. For the first year of our relationship, Chris would send me an email every morning, each with a new thought about his feelings for me and of our relationship, so on the back of each note was a different “Nice Thought of the Day.” We thought it would be special to incorporate these into various elements of the wedding.
To make the ceremony more intimate, Phillip compiled special thoughts about us from all the wedding guests and worked them into the ceremony. We also had a bit of fun by incorporating me and my sister’s FAVORITE movie, Sixteen Candles, into the day. At the end of the ceremony, we played If You Were Here by The Thompson Twins. We timed it so that the words of the song started right when we kissed. The surprise on my sisters face was priceless, I heard her gasp in excitement!
Brunch – after the ceremony, a trolley took us to Horseshoe Bay Golf Club for brunch. We sat outside, our table overlooking the water and wooded cliffs. We placed a burlap/lace runner and bud vases filled with ranunculus down the center of the table, and pre-set personalized menus so that they also acted as seating cards. Similar to the bubble jars, each menu had a different “Nice Thought of the Day” on the backside.
The Club allowed us to create our own menu (they were so wonderful to work with!), so we incorporated specialties from both families. We placed jars of Chris’ Mom’s infamous cherry preserves on the table; each branded with “Susie’s Homemade Cherry Preserves” labels, and my Moms famous “Beach Granola,” served with milk and fresh fruit, was a choice on the menu. We toasted with cherry mimosas and in lieu of cutting a wedding cake, we bit into a tower of cake donuts.
If I had to give any advice, it would be to make sure that the day reflects you as a couple. Pick songs, choose desserts, set a location, etc. that feels right to you. Because at the end of the day, that’s what the celebration is all about, the TWO OF YOU.
Photographer: erin jean photography | Florist: Flora | Transportation: Door County Trolley | Bride Dress: Saja | Bride Hair/Makeup: Spa Verde | Brunch Location: Horseshoe Bay Beach Club | Groom Tie/Friend Bowtie: Barry Beaux | Paper: Chelsey Emery